Capturing friendship, love and uncertainty, these fictional favourites will lift your spirits (iStock/The Independent)
Sally Rooney’s critically acclaimed, coming-of-age novel Normal People tells the story of love, uncertainty, displacement, and class; articulating feelings that will resonate with many of us.
Centred around the lives of two teenagers, Marianne and Connell, from the same small Irish town, Rooney depicts their on-off relationship as they navigate school and university.
The pair are at opposite ends of the social spectrum, yet have more things in common with one another than anyone else around them.
Beautifully capturing the complexities of relationships, it’s a powerful and heart-wrenching portrayal of youth, intimacy and communication, as both character's yearn for comfort of understanding during hardship.
It came as no surprise when it was named the Waterstones Book of the Year 2018, Costa’s Novel of the Year 2018, and then Book of the Year 2019 at the British Book Awards.
With this much anticipation on its shoulders, when the BBC/Hulu TV adaptation was announced, fans of the novel were nervous about whether it would live up to their expectations.
But the 12-part series, which launched in April, has been lauded as a triumph, from the direction and acting to the script and carefully compiled soundtrack.
As one of the most talked about TV series during lockdown, it has gripped the nation with its nuanced depiction of first love, with fans even going mad for that chain necklace worn by leading actor Paul Mescal.
In even better news, the hit show is returning to our screens on 26 June, as Jones and Mescal reunite for two special episodes for Comic Relief.
The episodes, titled "Normal Older People", will imagine what happened to Marianne and Connell 40 years on from when the original show finished. We can't wait to watch.
If like us, you loved the book, binge-watched the entire series and are now left longing for more, we've found the tomes that will fill this void and provide a little escapism in time for the bank holiday weekend.
You can trust our independent round-ups. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world and expert advice. This revenue helps us to fund journalism across The Independent.
1
'Exciting Times' by Naoise Dolan, published by W and N
Based in Hong Kong, this sharp, witty and ultimately moving debut novel from Irish author, Naoise Dolan, explores a love triangle. Newly arrived 22-year-old English teacher Ava finds herself caught between the financial security of a non-committal banker and an alluring lawyer. Dolan brings a fresh insight into modern love that will inevitably make this a hit among those who love Normal People.
'An American Marriage' by Tayari Jones, published by Oneworld Publications
This book featured on Barack Obama’s 2018 summer reading list, and for good reason, too. A masterpiece in storytelling, An American Marriage dissects what happens to a relationship when unforeseen circumstances sabotage it. Beautifully told with authentic characterisation, it explores the hearts and minds of three people who are separated by forces beyond their control.
Jones's probing of issues around race and justice is subtle yet moving and is done with such emotional intelligence. Much like Sally Rooney’s protagonists, expect these unforgetablle characters to stay with you long after you’ve finished it.
'The Interestings' by Meg Wolitzer, published by Vintage Publishing
This book is told from the perspective of six teenagers who are bound together at summer camp, forming an all-consuming bond through competition, companionship and shared goals. The story unfolds as characters navigate their lives, from teenagehood to middle age, all taking differrent paths as they grow older. It's not without moral rigour, touching on selfishness and envy, as it becomes clear that not everyone can sustain the high of that summer.
'Ordinary People' by Diana Evans, published by Vintage Publishing
Inspired by John Legend's Ordinary People, which portrays the bittersweet stage of romance after the honeymoon period, Diana Evans' exuberant third novel is all about relationship malaise. It's a persuasive account of life once the butterflies have stopped fluttering and children have arrived. An immersive look into friendship, parenthood, sex, and grief – as well as the fragility of love. It is told with such detail, you’re left wanting more.
'Expectation' by Anna Hope, published by Transworld Publishers Ltd
A story told from the perspective of three inseparable friends who live together on the edge of a common in east London. Their shared world is ablaze with romance and rivalry, and the promise of everything to come. After 10 years pass, they are not where they had hoped to be in life. With each character hungry for what the other has, this novel shows how lives divert and intertwine as we get older. An easy read that doesn’t shy away from subject matters that give equal measures of reality and grit.
'Where Rainbows End' by Cecelia Ahern, published by Harper Collins Publishers
The book was first published as Where Rainbows End, but since the hit 2014 film based on it was titled Love, Rosie, the book became better known under that title, too. This is the story of Rosie and Alex, two childhood best friends who have shared hopes, dreams and awkward moments throughout their pivotal years. But their inseparable bond is threatened when Alex’s family move to Boston. They dutifully stay in touch, looking forward to one day being reunited. Misunderstandings, unfortunate circumstances and a series of bad luck conspire to keep them apart. It’s a heart-warming, completely absorbing novel of true love and friendship that will make you laugh and cry.
'Call Me By Your Name' by Andre Aciman, published by Atlantic Books
It’s the summer of 1983 on the Italian Rivera when a powerful romance blossoms between 17-year-old Elio and his father’s house guest, Oliver. Through poetic prose and spell binding exploration of romance, this coming-of-age, coming-out story perfectly depicts acute feelings of love and desire. Much like Normal People, this will invoke an emotion you didn’t know you had. Find Me, the sequal, revisits the same complex and charming characters decades after their first meeting.
'One Day' by David Nicholls, published by Hodder and Stoughton
An endearing and persuasive account of close friendship that demonstrates David Nicholls’s gift for dialogue and romantic storytelling. The book traces the lives of two star-crossed lovers who meet at university, and over a 20-year period regroup on the same day every year to see where they stand in life. Their will-they-won't-they relationship is portrayed through the flirting, banter and years of yearning, which, much like Normal People, will resonate with many readers.
